20 Signs That The U.S. Economy Is Heading For Big Trouble In The Months Ahead

Is the U.S. economy about to experience a major downturn? Unfortunately, there are a whole bunch of signs that economic activity in the United States is really slowing down right now. Freight volumes and freight expenditures are way down, consumer confidence has declined sharply, major retail chains all over America are closing hundreds of stores, and the “sequester” threatens to give the American people their first significant opportunity to experience what “austerity” tastes like. Gas prices are going up rapidly, corporate insiders are dumping massive amounts of stock and there are high profile corporate bankruptcies in the news almost every single day now. In many ways, what we are going through right now feels very similar to 2008 before the crash happened. Back then the warning signs of economic trouble were very obvious, but our politicians and the mainstream media insisted that everything was just fine, and the stock market was very much detached from reality. When the stock market did finally catch up with reality, it happened very, very rapidly. Sadly, most people do not appear to have learned any lessons from the crisis of 2008. Americans continue to rack up staggering amounts of debt, and Wall Street is more reckless than ever. As a society, we seem to have concluded that 2008 was just a temporary malfunction rather than an indication that our entire system was fundamentally flawed. In the end, we will pay a great price for our overconfidence and our recklessness.

So what will the rest of 2013 bring?

Hopefully the economy will remain stable for as long as possible, but right now things do not look particularly promising.

The following are 20 signs that the U.S. economy is heading for big trouble in the months ahead…

#1 Freight shipment volumes have hit their lowest level in two years, and freight expenditures have gone negative for the first time since the last recession.

#2 The average price of a gallon of gasoline has risen by more than 50 cents over the past two months. This is making things tougher on our economy, because nearly every form of economic activity involves moving people or goods around.

#4 Atlantic City’s newest casino, Revel, has just filed for bankruptcy. It had been hoped that Revel would help lead a turnaround for Atlantic City.

#5 A state-appointed review board has determined that there is “no satisfactory plan” to solve Detroit’s financial emergency, and many believe that bankruptcy is imminent. If Detroit does declare bankruptcy, it will be the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

#6 David Gallagher, the CEO of Town Sports International, recently said that his company is struggling right now because consumers simply do not have as much disposable income anymore…

“As we moved into January membership trends were tracking to expectations in the first half of the month, but fell off track and did not meet our expectations in the second half of the month. We believe the driver of this was the rapid decline in consumer sentiment that has been reported and is connected to the reduction in net pay consumers earn given the changes in tax rates that went into effect in January.“

#7 According to the Conference Board, consumer confidence in the U.S. has hit its lowest level in more than a year.

#8 Sales of the Apple iPhone have been slower than projected, and as a result Chinese manufacturing giant FoxConn has instituted a hiring freeze. The following is from a CNET report that was posted on Wednesday…

The Financial Times noted that it was the first time since a 2009 downturn that the company opted to halt hiring in all of its facilities across the country. The publication talked to multiple recruiters.

The actions taken by Foxconn fuel the concern over the perceived weakened demand for the iPhone 5 and slumping sentiment around Apple in general, with production activity a leading indicator of interest in the product.

#9 In 2012, global cell phone sales posted their first decline since the end of the last recession.

#10 We appear to be in the midst of a “retail apocalypse“. It is being projected that Sears, J.C. Penney, Best Buy and RadioShack will also close hundreds of stores by the end of 2013.

#11 An internal memo authored by a Wal-Mart executive that was recently leaked to the press said that February sales were a “total disaster” and that the beginning of February was the “worst start to a month I have seen in my ~7 years with the company.”

#12 If Congress does not do anything and “sequestration” goes into effect on March 1st, the Pentagon says that approximately 800,000 civilian employees will be facing mandatory furloughs.

#13 Barack Obama is admitting that the “sequester” could have a crippling impact on the U.S. economy. The following is from a recentCNBC article…

Obama cautioned that if the $85 billion in immediate cuts — known as the sequester — occur, the full range of government would feel the effects. Among those he listed: furloughed FBI agents, reductions in spending for communities to pay police and fire personnel and teachers, and decreased ability to respond to threats around the world.

#14 If the “sequester” is allowed to go into effect, the CBO is projecting that it will cause U.S. GDP growth to go down by at least 0.6 percent and that it will “reduce job growth by 750,000 jobs“.

#15 According to a recent Gallup survey, 65 percent of all Americans believe that 2013 will be a year of “economic difficulty“, and 50 percent of all Americans believe that the “best days” of America are now in the past.

#16 U.S. GDP actually contracted at an annual rate of 0.1 percentduring the fourth quarter of 2012. This was the first GDP contraction that the official numbers have shown in more than three years.

#17 For the entire year of 2012, U.S. GDP growth was only about 1.5 percent. According to Art Cashin, every time GDP growth has fallen this low for an entire year, the U.S. economy has always ended up going into a recession.

The world’s richest countries saw their economies contract for the first time in almost four years during the final three months of 2012, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said.

The Paris-based thinktank said gross domestic product across its 34 member states fell by 0.2% – breaking a period of rising activity stretching back to a 2.3% slump in output in the first quarter of 2009.

All the major economies of the OECD – the US, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and the UK – have already reported falls in output at the end of 2012, with the thinktank noting that the steepest declines had been seen in the European Union, where GDP fell by 0.5%. Canada is the only member of the G7 currently on course to register an increase in national output.

#20 Even some of the biggest names on Wall Street are warning that we are heading for an economic collapse. For example, Seth Klarman, one of the most respected investors on Wall Street, said in his year-end letter that the collapse of the U.S. financial system could happen at any time…

“Investing today may well be harder than it has been at any time in our three decades of existence,” writes Seth Klarman in his year-end letter. The Fed’s “relentless interventions and manipulations” have left few purchase targets for Baupost, he laments. “(The) underpinnings of our economy and financial system are so precarious that the un-abating risks of collapse dwarf all other factors.”

So what do you think is going to happen to the U.S. economy in the months ahead?

Please feel free to express your opinion by leaving a comment below…

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Well, you know things are bad and have been bad but the media doesn’t talk about it .We have a stock market that is going up and you wonder how that is to be? The next couple of years will prove just how bad it is going to be ! History repeats itself and were do for another reminder of what will be !

So right GC. I just returned from a trip to the coast. I will never have more peace than when I stand there watching those waves crash over and over. When travel is limited, it will be impossible for me to get back.

Sadly , what is worse is what will happen when AGENDA 21 is fully implemented ! Going to the beaches and watching those beautiful waves crashing in wont be allowed ! Certain parts of America will be off limits for human usage. Transportation will change in such ways , you won’t have the ability to even travel . Mass transit with bullet trains will move us from ” human settlements ” to where THEY deem we may go ! This is the UN’s goal and many of those in Washington D.C. Are on board with this anti- American Orwellian nightmare ! I pray before this day comes Americans will once and for all slap them DOWN ! The sheer arrogance of these people is enough to make one ill . It seems they forget , we the people are the owners of our country , of our rivers , of our lands and of our lives !

dk,
You keep pushing the voting thing. I don’t think voting will make a difference. You have a choice between two parties in America. It takes funding to run a political campaign. Where will the funding come from? One of the two major parties, they have the bankroll. What happened to the Tea Party movement? The ones that were elected were quickly absorbed into the Right side of the aisle and it is business as usual. The lure of easy money has a very strong appeal. It becomes a “go along to get along” role for the average newly elected congressman or senator (purposely not capitalized). Former military personnel who become elected fall right in line, as well. Do I blame them? No, most people do not have the strength of character to do the right thing when the “other option” is an easy life. That lure of easy money thing, again. I think your “Engage” is correct, but not in the ballot box way. I think, at this point, the Nina O. way is the swiftest approach to create change. If you really want to know who wants to be there, that would certainly do it.

SD Mule: I agree with what you say, but if WE are not all Republicans in the mid term elections in 2014, and O’Bummer gets a majority in both houses of Congress, then WE will have elected a Communist Government with “legitimate” power over US and OUR options and OUR rights will be eliminated, one by one by one.

The Republicans want to steal OUR money; which they have done. The Democrats want to steal OUR God given rights; which they are trying to do.

Vote. By ballot while WE have it. By bullet if they take OUR vote away. 100 million gun owners hold the future of American in their hands.

Agenda 21 will never see the full light of day. When the collapse happens even the gov will not be able to feed, pay or run the behemoths that they would need to pull it off. DHS, TSA et al will be just as mired as we. We will actually have the upper hand, dug in around our suburbs taking out the foot patrols and idiots that would still do their tyrannical masters bidding. It will be ugly, people will die but at the end of the day we will win and government will be set back in its proper place. We will rebuild, we will back OUR currency with gold and move on. The government et al who think collapse plays into their hands are deluding themselves. Prep, prep, prep for in the end they lose.

“Go have a good Lobster, or whatever it is you really like. It tastes that much better knowing it could very well be your last one.”

My uncle always said, who was a pretty savvy businessman,

“Even if you can’t afford it, order the steak anyway. Because when you’re sitting there eating a hamburger, you’re going to kick yourself. If you *really* can’t afford it, don’t even bother going to the fancy restaurant but instead, go to the best burger joint in town.”

Therefore, methinks Kuma’s Corner and their $12 burgers is on the menu. Although, lobster is almost affordable these days, since there’s too many of them right now, lowering the price and screwing the fishermen.

Better than that, Lori. If you have any close, really close prepper friends/relatives; go buy a 2″ thick cut T-bone steak fpr each one and a case of beer/wine and have a feast. Tell everyone to bring sleeping bags and have a big fire.

Knowing you spent money on others having a good meal and good fellowship will mean more than dumping that $$ on yourselfs and profiting some restaurant chain.

You never know, they may return the favor. Our friends don’t, but then they do always bring something for the cause.

That sounds like fun. after things collapse you will see who your real friends are and the ones that pitch in and the ones that dont. That will really give you a sense who people really are, if they pitch in or if they are beggers. Hopefully you get people that will pitch in to make your area a stronger and more enjoyable one. I see that hard for people in large cities. But in many smaller towns or cities hopefully things turn out good for you and your law enforcement.

My summer cookouts are legendary, as are my holiday meals. I make sure everyone has plenty, and that’s even double-checking I made plenty of dishes that are vegan/gluten-free/diabetic/Atkins/what have you. NO ONE goes hungry, even our super picky son. I will say though, I would never classify my cooking as “barbecue”, since it’s done on a grill, but my friend from the Texas panhandle said my sauce is up to her high standards.

The last one I threw, I saw 30packs of beer on sale for $10.99 and filled the cart so full I could barely push it, though wearing flip flops probably didn’t help matters haha. (We did away with kegs since they’re a pain to rent/tap/return plus you have to buy cups separately.) I come from a restaurant family, so it’s in the genes. 😉

Oh, and my spice rack – I would even make Mr. Picky Alton Brown approve. If you know your spices, you can make ANYTHING taste good. That’s the secret – spices! At least in that department, I can safely award myself a gold star in preparedness. (And my camping gear is pretty good. And, I’m pretty good with finding my way around. Now as far as other stuff… well… I’m working on it!!)

We have resolved to the fact that vacations are overrated since no kids are at home, so we find pleasure in our meals and weekend camping/fishing trips.

The $1000 we would spend on a week at the beach; we spend a day at the nearest NHRA Drag-race event for a benjamin, another couple bens on two weekend fishing/camping trips, and another ben on a party/bonfire night for friends. The remainder goes on preps whether we need them or not.

I did that today. Ate at Red Lobster’s. But I did it, thinking that if they keep dump stuff in the ocean. I wouldn’t be able to eat it. As for what coming in the next few months. We have know it was coming and have done the best we could to get ready. The news about food safety cut should scare anyone into fill their freezer before March 1. What next after that is question mark. I been away with family problem and away from internet and my news stations. Depending on Network news which is not worth it salt. Hope all of you do well in coming month. I will be back a couple times a month, I hope. Family first the rest of world will have to wait.

TRUTH: Sure whites can be bad guys and some are, just as there are some bad JEWS, but there is a lame stream media campaign to deliberately denigrate the White Anglo American Civilization that made this nation great and promote minorities and homosexuals at OUR expense.

Discrimination in reverse. I thought We were suppose to be pass that in America. After all, O’bummer was elected by white voters.

What if all of the pictures were black? Or Hispanic? What if the targets were clearly homosexual in nature with two guys holding hands? Would you find them offensive?

Exactly, and a “retail apocalypse“ is part of the plan to destroy America (and the world) in general. They need to ruin ALL OF US, and I’m surprised that corporations who are not part of the global takeover, don’t see this. Their lobbyists should be fighting this takeover right along side of us. We need to unite our workers with jobs, and it seems to me, that TPTB are furiously trying to separate the two on a large scale.

This is part of our battle, for the salvation of our republic. This is how we recover after the hangings.

Funny… because that’s never been a question for him and never will be. When that press stops, its all over and hyperinflation ensues… Yes, you read that correctly. Hyperinflation will occur if he keeps printing as well. We’re too far along to turn back.

The act of the Main Stream Media turning a blind eye to what is unfolding in this country and not reporting on it, or calling out the players,, shows complicite actions..they prove time and time again that they are owned by those that are undermining this country, and what it stands for..when the curtain goes up, they all deserve to suffer the consequences of not showing the people out there what is really going on

Every one in the “NEWS” should swing for not reporting real news..and not calling out the players

the media is not free press..its helping to cover up the actions of the elite and the scum of this world and of this country.

LMAO PEOPLE reading THIS WEBSITE ARE APPERENTLY STILL BRAINWASHED!!!!! Ahahaahahahahaah that was an excellent comment lmao it’s embarrassing to think more than 50 people thumbs down it. How said it is when people STILL ARE WATCHINGS TV TURN IT THE FUCK OFF… For humanities sake!

Did you catch the news item the other evening about the ever growing ‘gun-culture-among-women’? It featured the lovely ladies of Austin, TX and their sudden new found attraction to firearms. Many of them are packing some serious handgun firepower with them on a daily basis and also have black rifles stashed away at home. They have their own private shooting clubs whose membership is open only to the ladies.
Social organizations for singles who want to shoot and socialize are growing in popularity.

More and more women who are out there on their own are starting to understand that 911 isn’t necessarily the best answer to an intruder in their home ……. 9 mm and a couple of +P hollow-points in the crotch area usually provides much better results!!! (more satisfaction anyway)

Get some ladies ………. go for it! I can’t see so good these days, but this ol’ man can still load magazines for you if need be.

Oh Grasshopper, didnt you get the memo?? When a man tries to RAPE us, all we have to do is either puke or pee on them!!
Supposedly, that will be a major turn off for the would be rapist, and he’ll run home to his momma!!
As for me, I won’t be puking or peeing on anyone who is trying to harm me….instead, I’ll do a real quick introduction….with my Bersa 380….THEN we’ll see who’s puking or peeing!

Not possible, for sure. When the SHTF the low lifes will use and abuse women in any way possible starting with sexually. That is just a fact. It is ugly. Tahrir square anybody? Ladies, arm up now. Learn to shoot now. Take self defense and hand to hand combat courses NOW. Desperate men are sick and when there is nobody around to stop them you must do it yourself.

I did a shoot with my GF and two of her friends… they are all 25-29 and HOT… we did a two hour shoot with them naked with ARs in 6 inch heels etc… doing it into a poster that says underneath “Molan Labe MOTHERFUCKER.
If you liked the dillon precision posters you’ll love these …. dillon chick is hot… these are hot AND naked. Different scenarios, but for instance in one my GF with an Armalie AR-10, second with A Colt AR 15, and third with a SA M1A loaded in walnut. One DD’s, one Big C and one B…… Two brunette and 1 blond.

What’s really funny is the PC crowd just now noticed us. I’m no spring chicken, but I was shooting when a .38 Chief’s Special with those newfangled checkered grips was the thing to have 🙂 I miss that gun, it’s just the thing a lady needs handy when someone is accosting the innocent unarmed.

I never went shooting with a real man who didn’t acknowledge the point was hitting the target, no matter what equipment you have to tuck out of the way to get into position. God bless all you preppers out there who chose your companions by their abilities and morals, and not by any other filter.

@Rain23, Your comment reminded me about 40 years ago when I bought a new mini 14 SS without spousal permission and brought it home to my wife with our two small hungry children. Not saying a word as we went out to show her it in action, she pursed her lips, still not saying any words as I told her it was loaded and the safety was on as I handed it to her. Looking at a stove sized rock at approx. 100 yds she rapidly squeezed off a three round burst nailing the rock three times. Turning her eye from the peep sights to me her first words were an emphatic “I like it.” I didn’t know she could shoot probably better than me. That incidence helped cement a relationship that endures to this day. 45th anninversary coming and I still have that wonderful girl. The mini is in the gun safe. A person remembers the day when the worry of ever having to go through a divorce leaves your mind.

You are right, the media are not the press, they are conglomerates owned by commies. They are a monopoly and the FCC is complicit along with all commies and there are millions of commies supporting bommie.

#1 Should be: We are entering Population Winter. Our population has held stable ONLY because of illegal immigration.( Japan never had a post WWII baby boom and has almost no immigration so they started into their recession/depression in the 1980s. And it has continued as demographers said it would because it was caused by their declining population). We have started down that path. Demographers predict a 20 year recession/depression for us also as the boomers age and the next generations are much smaller. Also of course the powers that be are engineering the slow collapse of the economy.

Also, the Ded has never stated in any of there FOMC meetings in the past until yesterday, “if secured funding rates were to increase to high levels in the wake of a natural disaster, the risk of a broader, more systemic disruption to the functioning of asset markets could result”. To me this throws up red flags that they know something that the pleeps will not know till it happens.
We that are awake to reality, know the MSM and Big Gov/Sis will never tell anyone what is coming till it happens. A lot of what is put out to the general public is to incite others to react. YOU CANNOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE THE GINNY PIG!!!!
Although to many it is hard to not let your anger get the better of you, you have to stay the course.
Things are going to start collasping, this is exactly what they want. TPTB have stated time and time again we are nothing more than bottom feeders. A wake up call is going to sound, because we do have value and it will be the downfall of those that think they are better than you, me, and anybody else out there.
A harsh reality is coming, so just keep your mind in the game, don’t be foolish.
You already see more and more of Americans waking up and starting to stand up to this regime called the American Government.
They no longer care about hiding their intentions, though they will not let the masses know of the wicked things they have planned (Fals Flags). they cannot even fill the loop holes, because their own people haven’t a clue to the exact reason or why somethings are being done.
Everything is scrutinized these days, but yet they still cannot manage to have every i dotted or t crossed.

Bubbles and safety boxes are going to start bursting and crumbling to those that have not awaken!

While we can’t control the financial collapse, or what the government does, we CAN control how we react to it. We can ward off the effects for ourselves and our loved ones, AND fight to recover and right the wrongs.

If you really want to convince yourself that we are heading for a major global breakdown, go to youtube and watch Ann Barnhardt’s videos on the The Economic Implosion. This is scary stuff and the manipulation of whole nations’ economies is happening now, including our own. We are in serious trouble. But everything according to the MSM is fine, HA!

The brainwashing is astounding. I actually had a “friend” tell me I am going to lose my ass in Gold. This is from an un-employed traveling salesman who sits in the bar drinking all day watching MSNBC. He told me he watches the financial reports and the market is getting stronger and so is the dollar. It’s not in me to laugh in someones face, but that time I had to bite my lip til blood came out of my nose. It blows my mind what people will believe. Are most people really that stupid or just ignorant?

Warface~ I agree! The brainwashing is pretty damn amazing. We met up with some “friends” the other day. They’re a great couple and we’ve always gotten along so well. We’ve been trying to wake them up for a while now by dropping little tidbits here and there, but they ignore each and every comment. They truly have no clue what’s going on in the real world and we’re concerned for them. I always try to pick things that will be easy to research, so I mentioned the FDA’s “Food Safety Modernization Act” and how the federal agents are picking on a friend of ours, who is a local raw milk dairy farmer. All in line with Agenda 21, those damn federalies just keep making up more and more rules that the farmers will never be able to keep up with ~ ya know, they want to shut him down for sure. Here’s what the the wife said, “That can’t really be happening, cause other wise it would be on CNN!” And she actually got pissed and walked off. I couldn’t believe it! So, we’re not wasting any more time on them, because they are not going to wake up and we have absolutely NOTHING in common with them any longer. It’s so sad. Yep! The brainwashing is ASTOUNDING!

@haha—— people gave you thumbs down, bit you may actually be partly right. Same has been said for last 4 years anyway….since the 08 crisis. Things will be shitty this year…. but who knows when anything bad will happen? Tomorrow? Next month? End of year? NEXT year. Year after? Or just that continual SLOW burn that sucks everything out of oyu little by little.
Thumbs up from me.

There is a way, to escape being “affected” by what transpires during the year.

Sell off everything but survival goods,a few dozen shorts/t-shirts/sandals and pay for a one-way ride to a friendly Polynesian Island. Then your biggest threat will be hurricanes,Tsunamis, or volcanic disruptions.
PS…If you’re white and bald as me, take plenty of sunscreen and a big floppy hat. Aloha.
Oh yea, if you are male and still fertile, better take a few cases of condoms, just in case; or you might end up with a pack of rugrats to feed and clothe. All that loose clothing, an scantilly clad, dark haired exotic females could lead to a lot of jungle…boom chick-a wow wow.

There’s a joke floating around the twitterverse about the economy being so bad, that even the dollar store has a layaway plan – just four easy payments of $0.25!

In all seriousness though, the fact that they’re still joking about it (and are not actually worried overall) says that normalcy bias is kicking along just fine.

OTOH, there are still signs of life out there. I just recently turned down two job offers this week that came along via headhunters (one was contract-to-hire and required moving, the other didn’t pay nearly as well and, well, requires moving). Note that these are unsolicited – the headhunters called me.

All that said, and overall? Dunno… I see signs of recovery, and signs of decay. Things are in a state of flux right now, and I daresay that the government may well determine how it’s going to go. Of course, that’s not saying too much, so…

#21 Do you feel better off than you did prior to 2008? For me, I sure as hell don’t! And I have not lost my job or any of my benefits. It’s just that the dollar doesn’t buy anything any longer. Dig in boys and girls it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

One things we can all agree on while people betting in the stock market within the last 2 years is we all said to prep and prep and to invest in guns gold and food. So far guns have really gone up in prices and certain models like ar-15’s have doubled in some cases. I mentioned and tried to be helpful on where to get guns. Yesterday I stopped my a tactical store in Pa and they had 4 ar-15 lwrs guns at 2200 bucks which that is normal price. Gander mountian is charging 69 bucks for 100 rounds of 45acp winchester and 2 years ago we were able to get 100 rounds for 36 bucks at walmart. So we that bought ammo are in real good shape these days. we can all agree on that.

Nothing lasts forever except for the ineptitude of the general public.
I don’t believe they will understand what is happening until it is too late.
“people don’t change because they see the light, people change
because they feel the heat” !
The most unfortunate part of this whole thing is that, the people we elected
to help this country are the very ones doing the most damage !

Uhm… we let ’em kick God out of school 50 years ago? We kicked civics and philosophy out of school? We allowed nutcases to teach our children and called them ‘educated’, instead of ‘indoctrinated’?
We quit teaching our kids how to be Americans that knew HOW to think, and started teaching them The Hive mind, and HOW to think.
The Doctrine of Irrationality took over from rational thought?
The Doctrines of Moral Relativity?

I dunno…
But when IT happens, don’t forget to add liberal professors and teachers to THE LIST.

Did you see the news article on Drudge about the giant sun spot forming? The solar flare may come up in your bedroom, but that’s not good news. Yeah, I think we’re going to crash and I’m scared although reasonably prepared. I just need two more weeks to get my Big Berkey and another couple of month for my Simple Pump, then I’ll feel better. Am sure Obama will be in the mood for another 72 rounds of golf in some exotic locale so he doesn’t have to DO anything. Maybe some place the solar flare hits???? Note to FBI, I don’t control solar flares. We’re still doing okay, but have three adult children who lost jobs. They may be headed home which is okay if they’re into a vegan diet supplemented by deer and groundhogs. Two kids still at home, but they’re aware for teens. Gander Mountain has 45 ammo? We may have to spend a lot of money for gas and drive down to Dayton. For Be Informed, do solar flares affect the probability of earthquakes, specifically the New Madrid?

vicky, walmart has it (45acp) but its spotty when it comes in some walmarts and goes. yes the gander mountial in johnstown Pa store had probably over 100 boxes easily of 45acp winchester 100 round pack but was 69 bucks. that is way too high. It should be under 40 cents a round for FMJ(full metal jacket). I think it will back around eventually, they had hundreds of boxes of defender pdx1 .223 winchester but wanted about 38 bucks for 20. they had indepdent 5.56 (20) rounds for 9.99 and had probably 200 boxes on the shelf. If you dont believe me you guys can call. they had no .22LR! They had plenty and plenty of 40 cal pistol but no 9mm. they had all the large caliber and only a few boxes of .17hmr. Johnstown Pa gander mountain. Just trying to help. This was on Wed Feb 20.

I believe that the US economy is in a slow free fall to the bottom. As the jobs continue to dry up with manufacturing being shipped overseas and retail business chains such as Sears, Best Buy etc closing multiple stores across the country, fewer jobs and increasing unemployed will add to the gravitational pull of the downward spiral. The Fed continues to pump out monthly billions in paper which is diluting the spending power of what is left of the middle class and sales will continue to dry up. Profit margins will be smaller and what competition is left will be fiercer on the homefront. This translates into corporate cost-cutting measures which will lead to dropping member health for employees by reducing their hours to under 29 hours a week to avoid increasing payroll costs. McJobs will disappear as those who had full time employment and are now suffering cutbacks in their hours will look to fill the gap with second and sometimes third jobs. This means youth unemployment will skyrocket through out the US, not just in large urban areas and this demographic will increasingly become disaffected and disillusioned, leading to more crime and gang-related crime, despair and suicide. The poor, the elderly and the chronically sick who relied upon medicare and medicaid will be squeezed by Obamacare regulations and families will not be able to cope with the high cost of insurance coverage on reduced salaries. Increases in the cost of oil/gasoline will lead to ever-increasing food costs due to increasing transportation costs and put healthy food further out of reach of the poor and lower income families. This will lead to increasing numbers on the food stamp program, further burdening the system.
I could go on and on ad infinitum, but I think I made my point; the US is in a nosedive economically and socially and there is no way out of this in the forseeable future. Buckle down and prepare to hit the ejector button ’cause it’s going to be one helluva journey.

Me, I’d be throwing billions at this project hand over fist. Because if it fails, shit. You were screwed already. It’s like “Hmm… I think it’s too expensive to try to stop that meteor the size of Texas hurtling toward Earth”…

It’s a lot easier (if you’re them) to start from this point and mold things to your liking than it is to blow it back to the fragging bronze age and attempt to rebuild it.

People won’t go into collapse freak out mode until not that gas prices reach $7 but that there is no gas at all at the station, or that the long haul truckers no longer can fill the Walmarts. When things are missing from people’s day to day life is when the true chaos starts. Until then credit cards, bad loans and the government dime will keep things going. When the gas stations start closing is when the collapse begins. Sounds simple, but anyone who has been near a natural disaster, when there is no gas, it is insane, can’t go get food, go to work, your world becomes very very small.

I usually skip these “20 signs that ______” sort of articles. I’m glad I read this one. I needed a little kick to keep up the prepping.

Number 2 about gas is an odd one though. Usually bad economy = less shipping moving etc. like #1 says. Less demand should be lower costs of gas. Hmmm???? News, says it is due to refinery production being down. Either way it will hurt us at the pumps, and take away another piece of our shrinking pie.

Doubt you’re “dumb”. The explanation of refineries being down is bogus. My husband works at a large refinery and they’re going full-tilt, as are both refineries in northern Ohio and Michigan. The annual shutdowns are usually in spring or fall. Crude has risen, just because it can, and while I can’t imagine how the government can profit from this, they must have found a way to make it even rougher on us or funnel some of the profits to themselves.

So true. We’re still trying to recuperate from the closings in the 1980s and 1990s. My husband has worked for four refineries but there were years in between when we “lived” on what I made. Also trying to sell a house in a market which has lost that type of good job means lots of money lost in real estate. We’re getting older and still have a long way to go before all those fallow years are made up. EPA has assured that there will be no new refineries, although ours is getting bigger and much more efficient. Ethanol cannot make up for oil-based energy and I think it’s wrong to burn your food for fuel. It’s also a disaster for the combustion engine. I don’t see oil as being an inexhaustible source, but don’t know what’s next or even what is feasible. In the meantime, I prep as much as possible..

The USG wants higher oil and gas prices so they can soak up all the excess dollars in the system and keep things from blowing up… Higher oil and gas are easiest way to do that. 2013-2014… we will not make it past 2014… and would be lucky to get past 2013. Preps in overdrive.

@ Vicky- I couldnt know this, but it surely is POSSIBLE that Govt profits from this in part from pay offs from big oil, and even middle east countries. From big oil for letting them have their way…. From certain middle east countries for “protection money”…..
crazier things happen.

It’s not “crazy” at all, and you’re right. To use an old gasoline ad saying, the government “has a tiger by the tail” and they can’t let go. The refinery for which my husband works isn’t “big oil” so they’re at a disadvantage in the overall scheme of things. We have many Amish in our area, so it might be a good idea to get a team and buggy. We are in extremely rural Ohio and there aren’t going to be any trains in this part of the state or any government programs. Not enough votes to pay attention to us, which could be a good thing.

Nah they jsut had a little ol’ “deal” going with… someone. Refineries, Saudis, major gas retailers, I have no idea.

Don’t you remember how it was positively bone crushing in terms of price, and then… just like a miracle, circa October, it flew way way down.

And now… the innauguration ceremony’s over.

ok.

So, basically, someone took it in the shorts big time to drive the price artificially lower than it CAN go at this period in history.

Undulating plateau, man.

Speaking of which, although I realize fracking is not sustainable profit-wise at less than $80 a barrel, and even then, who knows for how long… I mean… I thought that was “supposed” to be working, right? (wink). Energy Renaissance and… shit and stuff blah blah. So gas should be like $2.80 a gallon forever, right? Or… for… I dunno, five years. I guess it’s gotten so bad that five years seems like forever.

Fracking is a failed economic model of desperate men doing desperate things for desperate times.
There is no way it can be sustained without infinite financing and steel production.
They should have sunk the money into sustainable off shore wells.

@TheGuy: Just an FYI – fracking has absolutely nothing to do with gasoline. At least, in the terms that you frame it.
Most fracking is done to release ‘natural gas’, but there is an application derivative aimed at oil trapped in shales. Not sure how successful that endeavor is but the bottom line is that it is relatively new technology and not widespread in use.
And, I know wht I am talking about. Drilling has been my profession since I turned 21. I will be 60 in October.

@Sierra Dave,,
I think you are right,, preppers and gun sales, even with the holidays the end of year numbers were terrible, and place on top of that the fact that millions of firearms and billions of rounds of ammo of all flavors were and are being bought up as fast as they can put them on the shelf and it makes you sorta wonder,
there was also an article a month or so ago that stated that something like 26-30% of all spending was attributed to government spending, that makes it sort of a troubling stew of numbers,,,
Im off to costco and the gun store today so yep, I know I know its off to the store I go,,,,

if your poor like me and cant afford pm’s at least put aside for barter…wiskey, makings for cigs, papers, those fancy new tubes w/filters attached, tobacco and those little machines for assembly, fish mox and personal care products…these items will have high value trade status and just might get you some of the things that you need. pray for the woman and children.

Are you aware it’s now illegal, at least in Ohio, to buy a rolling machine and cigarette papers? I originally thought it was another way to punish pot smokers, but it wasn’t. It’s ALWAYS about money, and if you buy bulk tobacco and your own rolling supplies, the state loses excise taxes. Check out your local laws before you buy a large quantity. Otherwise, it’s a great idea. The lowest price for a carton of name-brand cigarettes I’ve seen, is $53, so am wondering if that could be my stash of “precious metals”? We don’t drink or smoke so they shouldn’t be tempting to dip into.

You’ll love this. It’s legal to buy the seed, but illegal to grow it here. If you grow it, you might harvest and process it, then the State of Ohio would be out a bunch of money. New Hope Seeds out of Kentucky/Tennessee has a great variety of tobacco seedlings, all of the Burleighs and a few I’ve never heard of. DNR combs the skies constantly looking for Ash trees, which are also illegal, and I’m sure they’d wet their pants with glee if they spotted some tobacco plants.

If you cannot afford anything else; at least buy a big supply of: Vitamins, Iodine, soap, and TP. Poor diet, bad water,and sanitation killed far more people than Indians ever did. They cost very little for a several year supply.

Hey ^^ I used to use those! The cig tubes with the filter and the machine and stuff. Cheaper than Indian Reservation cigarettes.

Fortunately I switched to e-cig and am now quitting. However, let me warn you, that tobacco gets real stale real fast. You’re going to have to keep it refrigerated. And if you ever open it to dole it out in smaller amounts, put an apple slice in it. Even refrigerated though, once it’s open, stuff’s going to be toxic (more toxic than usual… as in… un-smokeable by even the most desperate individual) inside of a month and a half.

Thanks! I’m old enough to remember when cigarettes were delivered in refrigerated trucks and stored in the refrigerated section of the store. They certainly smelled better and didn’t have all the additives. They reek so badly anymore that I can’t imagine why anyone smokes.

Ben knows the U.S. money in circulation is a big pot. The problem is we have more people being fed by this government from that pot than can be sustained even with borrowing soup from China, so he pours water in the pot to help increase the level. He also knows that he is loosing the battle because he cannot pour water in there fast enough with his available tools and the soup in the pot is getting thinner and loosing its nutritional value. At some point the soup (the dollar) will be viewed by the majority of the other folks on this planet as not worth eating. It has already started, cannot be stopped, and will only get much worse until the big RESET.

What is the big reset? Im not being argumentive. The people you want to oppose have bunkers that are cities in the mountions. I have great doubt that you will have any chance of a”reset”. I feel the same betrayl and loss for America that you do but I dont see any chance of an organized militia to “reset” the current agenda. Sorry

Actual inflation is at 13% and rising for the past three years.that means that your average thanksgiving meal in 2010 costs about $75.00 add 13% inflation and you’ve got $9.75 = $84.75 In 2011 your thanksgiving dinner with inflation, at still 13% factored in = $95.76 Now in 2012 your thanksgiving dinner with again 13% inflation factored in now comes to $108.20 INFLATION IS A FORM OF TAX!and it’s interest is compounded every year! Your $75.00 turkey dinner will now cost over $122.00 this year! That’s $47.00 and some CHANGE WE CAN DEPEND ON! may God bless

Yikes! We have wild turkeys in the back pasture, so think I’ll feed them. That should cut down a little of the cost, plus I raise our own corn, pumpkins, apples, etc. That really put it into perspective. Thanks!

(Very) approximately, where do you live? Turkeys are pretty wide-spread. DNR (Department of Natural Resources) re-introduced turkeys into our area several years ago and they’re thriving. They like cover, grains and water which we have to offer. Appalachia, Kansas, Oklahoma and northern Texas have quite a few, and Texas offers Javelina if you get tired of poultry. Just make sure to cook the meat until it’s VERY well done. Wild pig carries trichina worms which used to be prevalent in all pork. You can kill it by thoroughly cooking the meat, but it’s iffy. Death by trichinosis is most unpleasant.

Yes the economy is on a down hill slide. If you are not preparing now your future outlook will be dismal.

The government and the elite business corporations know what is coming our way in the very near future.

The proof of this is with the rediculous talking points coming from our government. Also the movement out of stocks and into hard assets by the billionaires around the world. Do not forget the staggering amount of gold bullion being purchased by certain forgiven government who are planning the end of the America dollar.

And our government is talking crape while our financial system is circleing the bowl.

I think the worst signs are the gasoline prices as this can kill any economy very quickly, remmeber gas hit $147 a gallon before the 2008 collapse. Fuel prices rise every cost to everything, it is the quickest catalyst to a higher misery index.

When insiders dump stocks, there is a reason behind this. Do they know something, MAYBE? Do they suspect something, ABSOLUTELY.

By the way they had another earthquake on one of the outer parameters of the plates down in the Southeast Indian plate. 14 times this has happened since 1973, and 12 times an earthquake 6.5-7.4 followed. 85.7% of the time in the following areas: Eastern Indonesia, Mexico and the Caribbean plate, Phippines, Japan, Chile and Peru region, The New Guniea Soloman Islands region, east Russia, and YES several times on the Mid Atlantic Ridge.

This is the first time I have seen earthquakes directed at the Mid Atalntic Ridge for many 6.5+ quakes. The Mid Atlantic Ridge at the right spots are directly linked to the New Madrid fault. This is something to watch for many people out there that come to this web site that live near the New Madrid. You get one of these large earthquakes on the Mid Atlantic Ridge at about 10-20 degrees north, or about 54-60 degrees north, LOOK OUT New Madrid. I would say anything above 6.3. Get a 7.0 like back on March 14, 1994 on the right spot on the Mid Atlantic Ridge and the New Madrid is in trouble. The one on March 14, 1994 was at the equator about 800 miles south of the danger zone for the New Madrid. Again, something to watch on the Mid Atlantic Ridge for the next 15 days, until March 8.

BI: I do not know if this is BS or may mean somethig. I talked to a USGS guy this morning and he told me that they think from now till APRIL is not looking good for THE NEW MADRID, like I said it may be BS, but he sounded concerned in his voice.

Oh by the way he was in jeans and a tee shirt not like the ones I saw out in Cape Girardeau, Mo. the other day in black BUD’s and armed in USGE SUV’s, makes one wonder dosen’t it.

Well, crap! Yes, it does make you wonder, but then almost everything makes me wonder anymore. “Be Informed” is on top of the inter-workings of the faults and is constantly harassed with questions from all of us wondering about the New Madrid and its offshoots. Your news isn’t good, but isn’t it interesting to find a seemingly normal government guy?

BI, Chavez wants to devalue his currency which would increase the dollar value by close to 50%. Then we find out that the US is consumming less oil. Then 83% of our oil consummition is from right here.
No matter what, tptb are going to raise the price of oil regardless.

That’s what I see for sure. America is once again Moundbuilders. Soon, the workers will vacate the System. The System Rulers print money for themselves. They are building a bigger and bugger mound out of debt. No standard of living for an Indian in the Moundbuilder society so it collapsed. Same thing going on here. Smoke and mirrors economy in NYC and Washington.

If you fail to prepare, you certainly prepare to fail. This slow motion train wreck has been heading for the station for 40+ years. Normalcy bias keeps the freaks in charge and the common man looking for his “bamma phone”. I pray that I can provide for my family when those around me are scratching their heads wondering what the hell happened. That is why I prep.

Have the Skill sets and putting in practice. I’m busy 24/7. Everyone should be.

Alan W. your unit has been ready for months, come pick it up or let me know where to ship it.

To my guys who ordered the 2+ gallon units, yours will be coming off line soon. I was not happy with the quality of your boilers, I’m scrapping them and building out of heavier wall thickness. The wait will be worth it and I’ll give you a price break on final cost and I’ll ship them for free.

it’s all fun and games till lil’ blue NATO u.n. helmets and fema dhs gestapo kid corps soldiers show up on your block carrying AR-15’s and have a nervous itchy trigger finger as they stare drool over your WIVES daughters or son .

It works great! It will be the end of all our problems! Lets all turn queer and make child molestation legal. Our problems will be over in no time at all. Just ask the “roaming spirits” of Sodom & Gomorrah. They got out of the shit they were in “literally”, overnight.

AMERIKA – 80’s Miniseries ABC Television Following a Soviet EMP attack on the US, the US Govt capitulates to a Soviet/UN alliance who now administer control by ‘Peacekeeping forces’.

The United States is split into multiple “administrative areas”, travel and communications between the various zones is heavily restricted, the youth are indoctrinated in the new ‘ideology’ and the US itself is to be reformed into new ‘client states’.

The parallells with what is evidently coming will not be lost on those who have not seen this 1980’s miniseries before.

It’s Window CLEANER, when speaking of Professional Window Cleaners, not “washers”. You can joke of it. But there is nothing wrong with Honest Hard work. See if You can go hang by ropes in a Botswains chair( looks like flat swing set seat board) with gear like Mountain climbers use.

And do it from a couple hundred feet up in air, or, work 8-10 hr days with 40 ft extension ladders, And can carry/move that extended ladder 20-50+ ft per move while still fully extended(it weighs aprox 125+ lbs…yet when extended full to 40 ft tall and moved you better Know what the fuck you are doing or you Will lose it and do great dammages to Others property…OR easily Kill a person if they are hit when You lose control in wind etc.

It aint so easy as it may sound Don’t Tread. Move such a ladder once or twice, or every hour when painting aint so bad. But in window cleaning that ladder gets moved aprox every 2 Minits max. Let me know when You can RUN up like a monky at a zoo all 40 ft to top, do your work in 30-60 seconds and do it Correct(folks are very fussy about streaks etc!)..Then either Run Down Ladder two steps at a time(skip every Other step on down moves) Or Slide at least the last 1/2 of ladder, hit ground, pull ladder away from wall and Move to next spot…ALL in TWO minits. Maybe Three minits if very large plate glass size.

Dont tread one time doing that work and you’d Run back home to farm or whatever work you are used to doing.

ps I aint bragging here, but I only ever met two other men who could Run up entire 40 ft ladder, then imidiatly once at top, Run Down two steps at a time and back to the ground in 60 sec or Less…I Won quite a few bets and cash when other guys said it cannot be done.(ever see Pro Fireman that Compete on such ladders and in the way I described?…Thats what I mean)

You may remember in my post two weeks ago, I found 3 100 round white box 45 acp for $32.77 at WW. Little to nothing on the shelves since, then yesterday 3 more 100 round boxes 45 acp for $40.77 at WW. That’s an approximate 33% increase. WTF! I know my pay didn’t go up 33%. A box of 9mm went from $11 to $14. From the posts above and previously, I know these prices are less than in other stores and places, and even to have some available is amazing. I’m talking about the average 33% increase in prices across the board. My paycheck, like most others I’ve checked with, went down after the first of the year (and yes, grateful to have a job).

We paid $16 per box of 9mm and were happy to find it. This was at a small “Mom and Pop” place out in the sticks. WW just looked at me like I was crazy and said they haven’t carried that for months. He also asked for my name (!!?!!), so I said “Thank You” and left.

Here in Virginia, the Hampton Roads area is down-in-the-mouth over this Sequestration. There are plenty of pink slips to go around in that area because it’s essentially a DOD region. And as I’ve said before, when those jobs go, so goes the feeder-jobs because the region is heavily dependent on DOD.

And yes, they voted Obama in that area. In fact, Virginia is a blue state except for the 2 population zones that are heavy red/Obama: Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC) and Fairfax area. Those 2 regions force the entire state into Libtard-ville.

So personally, I love a good Karma smack-down. But will the Obamabots “get it”? Will they learn a lesson?

I’m one of those that is being given the privilege of losing 16 hours per pay period starting Apr. 1st. I did not vote of the the person now running My Country into the ground, from what I can see, faster than any of his predecessors. The thing they are leaving out to make it sound better than it is, all those days on furlough count against all benefits so we will not only lose money every payday but we get to make up the portion of usually paid by the gov.

Next person that tells me I make to much better be a working the same amount of hours that I do, for much less, while doing the same damn job with the same skills and training (that they paid for before getting the job just like I did).

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand;
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

Great poetry! The line that sums up society today is; “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” Yeats must have been aware of the Fabian Socialist movement in the early part of the 20th century to have written poetry such as this. I have not read his biography but he must have had prescient knowledge of the future of mankind or maybe he just read his history and his Bible.

As a victim of a socialist health care system I can tell you it will get a lot worse than waiting six months! I waited 14 months for an orthopaedic consult with a physician who had a sub-specialty in ankle injuries. By the time I went for the consult I had resolved my issue. I guess that’s what they’re hoping for; resolution or death with death being the preferable outcome. It all works to their purpose in the de-population program.

Be careful with that scenario. Dr’s aren’t idiots. They know people will find them and they might just be waiting with some “infected needles”. One minute you’re fine and the next you got a growth on your nut satchel the size of a grapefruit. You gonna get him to cut it off? Not many gonna touch that thing with a ten foot pole. So you may have to get used to wearing a kilt, or a feed sack.

Yes, plenty of us are on our way out of practicing medicine. I remain willing to barter and help people who I respect. But I am happy to be gradually getting away from bureaucratic pay systems and drug seeking patients.

I meant to get back to the site sooner but sometimes life intervenes.

One of the items that was brought up a few days ago was the Ukrainian influenza. There is information floating around the Internet that makes this appear current. However, the concerning outbreak took place in 2009 and 2010.

During that time more than 250,000 people developed respiratory symptoms consistent with influenza. There were a large number of deaths- some estimates were up to 1500 deaths.

Some of the patients were autopsied and found to have lungs with a burnt appearance. This was caused by hemorrhaging of the lungs. The virus entered the lungs and destroyed the small air sacs. When this became severe, it was fatal.

The offical reports say that this was a swine flu virus with some unique mutatons. However there were also unsupported rumors flying around at the time which I will repeat here.

Some Ukrainians thought the virus was a mutated variation released by the Russian military. There were other medical people who thought they might be dealing with pneumonic plague. Others thought the influenza variant caused symptoms similar to the Spanish flu epidemic of 1917. I could not find information firmly supporting or firmly discrediting any of these ideas.

The influenza outbreak was treated by closing public facilities such as schools and movie theaters for as long as three weeks. Some medical facilities were quarantined- people went to work one day, then they were told they could not return home. Many people treated themselves with antibiotics (which did not work). Others used onions, garlic, herbs, and copious alcohol. (It must have been an interesting place to visit during that time period.)

One doctor was quoted as telling patients to try to boost their immune system. “If you have a healthy immune system, you will survive, if you have a weak immune system, nothing can help you.” That must have been reassuring to the general public. (sarcasm)

It appears that some of the influenza spread to Norway and maybe some other surrounding areas. Then it seems to have died out. I have not been able to trace any similar influenza outbreaks in the years since 2010.

The important points- there are some deadly viruses showing up, they do not get publicized outside of the area of outbreak, and official sources will give conflicting information. Just one more potential problem to be prepared for.

We grow a large number of herbals and medicinal plants (most are perennials). I also am a forager and there are MANY “weeds” that have excellent nutritional and/or curative effects through ingestion, poultices, salves, or tinctures. Nature provides a bounty of medicinals, but few know what plants are beneficial. It would be very smart of everyone here to learn the basic herbals as well as the “weeds” in your region. There are many websites, videos, and books available.

I dry leaves, flowers/flowerbuds, roots, and of course seeds. We do stock veterinary antibiotics as well as several supplements, for ourselves and our livestock. Those who cannot afford to buy antibiotics to store might be able to get a few herbals started this year, especially if a neighbor grows them. And some perennial plants/flowers are actually curative plants, like Echinacea (Purple Coneflower). Some “weeds” are plentiful like Dandelions, Purslane, Wood Sorrel, sheep Sorrel, Chickweed, Lambs Ear, Stinging Nettle, Cattail, or Burdock. Most people have seen these but may not be able to identify most of them unless they have learned what they are. Now is the time! Each of those “weeds” have micronutrients that are very healthy and all can be eaten.

Are you familiar with “milkweed”? I have a huge patch of this in a clearing near my house and the information I’m finding on the net is very mixed. This plant just *looks* like it would be useful for something.

Daisy, yes, Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a good “weed” with medicinal properties. Think of Milkweed as an expectorant. It’s been nicknamed ‘pleurisy root’ and was used by Native Americans for more than 1,000 years before it began to be used in the more established pharmacopoeias a few centuries ago. It’s a tonic herb that is said to relieve spasms and act as an expectorant. Too much Milkweed tonic would lead to diarrhea and vomiting. It grows wild here.

On edibility, use caution and learn about Milkweed. You may have read some of the same things I have because there are real questions on this plant’s edibility. Some parts of Milkweed are supposedly edible and the pods are edible but only during a particular developmental stage. John Kallas,PhD wrote the book “Edible Wild Plants” and he discusses Milkweed pods being edible in the young pod phase but that it is poisonous when the pods mature. The way to distinguish toxicity is to look at the seeds. If the seeds in the pods are white, then they are immature and it means the pods are edible. Once the seeds start to turn brown, they are maturing and the pods are then poisonous. The toxins cannot be cooked out.

Samuel Thayer, active forager in northern America wrote about Milkweed in his book “Foragers Harvest” in better detail. He writes passionately of the edibility of Milkweed’s emerging shoots, bud clusters (think broccoli), and the pods.

I’ve not eaten Milkweed because the info is conflicting and I’ve not had anyone in my family give me the low-down on this plant. Thayer presents a very convincing and detailed account of many people eating Milkweed, but his color plate of blooming Milkweed is not the same color as the Milkweed that blooms here. I would trust myself trying this but ONLY a taste at first, then continuing to slowly eat more. If you decide to venture into eating wild foods without someone else who knows the plant(s) you’re interested in, go VERY slowly and only after you have truly identified the plant.

Maybe you can find Thayer’s book and this is the Milkweed in your area? Or maybe there’s an old timer in your area who has had this before. It wasn’t uncommon to eat-wild back in the 40s – 50s.

I’ve spent the last 2 years cutting every expense possible until I got to the point where I am living on less than half of my income. (Which is half of not a whole lot). What has changed most is what we prioritize now.

Our few frivolous expenditures now are for “experiences” rather than “things”. We don’t go out to dinner much, but we might buy the ingredients to make something a little fancier and then learn how to prepare it. We go hiking for entertainment and are learning to identify tracks with the help of a $7 laminated guide, whereas before we used to go to the movies once a month and be passively entertained for $50. Recently my daughter wanted a new skirt like one she saw online. We went to the mall and looked around, and she decided that she would prefer to make it herself. So instead of the skirt, we got some fabric and notions and she has been teaching herself to sew, using the internet.

I can see the prices rising each time we go to the grocery store at an alarming pace, but we’re still doing okay. My daughter tells me quite a few kids are going to school with meager lunches now, also, and our church is sponsoring a nearly continuous food drive, the need is so high.

The thing is, at this point in the game, most people could still be financially “okay” if they’d just adjust their habits and priorities. It is their complete refusal to do so that will be their downfall. I believe that in most situations, this economic collapse, while very challenging, is very survivable.

Your are right, Daisy. I live in an area that will grow just about anything and people live on large lots and acreage. No gardens in the yards of the people complaining about not being able to pay their bills. They won’t downsize their lives either. Guess they are waiting/hoping for things to improve. Gas prices rise and they still drive excessively and won’t cut back anywhere. They complain about no jobs in the area but refuse to locate to areas with jobs. Hard to have much sympathy. They need to sit down and prioritize.

Yeah well, I commute one hell of a long way to work. Can’t help it. First of all my work neighborhood is a Mayberrian nightmare where rent prices would be absolutely insane, second of all I have aging parents and I can’t leave them on their own, third of all good luck getting a different job (though I may be forced to try soon).

I compensate by buying used econo-box cars and doing all my own maintenance and repairs. I average 40 mpg. We’re talking really small, really light cars here.

I did the math, bike + train versus car breaks even at $4.80-$5.20 per gallon, depending on my assumptions. When it hits that, I switch. At present, I’d be throwing even more money away.

I find that when we go out to eat, it’s quite often a letdown. Then, I’m ticked off because I spent triple (or more) the amount of money I would have spent to make it at home. We go out about once a month, when we drive to the city for groceries.

@Daisy
There you go again, making wild ass’ed radical statements! You had better tone it down woman or Facebook will be all over your post. (sarcasm)

Keep the faith, God does not allow His childern to go hungry often. I agree with you, if you keep a budget and have a modest income, at least for now you should be O.K. Where we used to spend $200 a week on food, we now spend half or less. A garden helps alot, so does homemade stuff like bread, cookies, ect.

Good points, Daisy. It does seem that the adjustment of priorities is the hardest part. Oh, and yes! teach that girl to sew! My wife has a quilt she made a few yrs ago. The fabric squares were first cut out by her Granny….way, way back when. We’re talkin early ’60’s. They were handed down to my mother in law, who never got around to using them. Then, about 7 or 8 yrs ago, she (wife) got them from her Mom and made a beautiful quilt. It’s like a brand new item with 50 yrs of history already in it!

Vicky – I don’t sew very well and don’t knit at all. I strenuously object to doing things that require me to follow patterns and directions. I tend to do better when I can just keep adjusting things until I get them right. I can crochet circles, squares and rectangles, but that is the extent of my needle working ability. 🙂

Dh and I had not eaten out for a very long time.
So, on the way from a 3 day hospital stay, we stopped at Logan’s Steakhouse.
The cheapest plate was a burger and fries-$10.00
We could not even think of steak, shrimp, or lobster.
NOT because we couldn’t pay for it, but because I wouldn’t justify those prices.
No more Logans…and I believe it was here I said months ago, on a Saturday, during rush lunch time as we were shopping for more preps, Logan’s had 2 other tables being served.
3 tables @ lunch time; I can remember when you took a number at Logan’s. Most any time.

I LOVE your comment. We’re trying to pay off our mortgage in three years which leaves very little to spend for fun. Of course, one never really “owns” his home. The State owns it through taxes, but I’d like to have a fighting chance to stay here. I simply cannot sew. Arthritis and no talent. However, I haven’t bought new clothes in years. Since the company for which I worked went bankrupt, I haven’t needed anything new. It will be a problem if I gain weight, but that doesn’t look like the biggest danger on the horizon. It will also be a problem if I lose much weight. More belts!

Around here nurse practitioners are the new rage. Almost a doctor, but they still charge you the same rate as a doctor. And you know the hospitals aren’t paying them the same rate they would pay a doctor.

Yep, Babylon will fall. Piper mentioned the book ‘Alas, Babylon’ the other day. I remember reading it way back when. Ever since, I’ve thought about that term (Alas, Babylon), and how it’s used in the book.
Today, my sons and wife know our family code. The words are different and only we understand them. We’ve never used it, maybe we never will. But if any one of us ever calls the others with the magic words…..we know what to do.

Babylon is falling, but the key is the final pope I think… the last lynchpin, the apostate. We shall see, just because he is pope one day, doesn’t mean it will all collapse tomorrow.
DK is right, and I think the Harbinger warnings gives us until 2015 before it all falls down ‘in one hour’, whether by currency collapse, and smoke and war, no man knows the future.
But, I would also recommend The Harbinger. 2001 was the first warning, 7 years later is 2008=financial crash, then the final 7 years until 2015, national crash.
We have not repented, we have gotten worse.

I pray I’m wrong, but some powerful voices have said 2015 would be the end of the Tbond… so we shall see.
(That also doesn’t mean its all sunshine and roses until then… the Black Caesar can surely make our lives miserable… 😉

This is really off topic, but has been discussed here often. When we came come from the Wars in S.E. Asia, almost the next ten years, every bad guy on TV or the movies was a crazed Vietnam Vet. I always suspected that the Gov. didn’t want us to tell how they f*cked up that war, and what a real threat Communism is. Later is was the Russian mob, or the C.I.A. who became the bad guys.

Look at the hit job the MSM did on Conservatives like Joe Mac Carthy, Nixon, Barry Goldwater,Dan Quayl, Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman, and the Pauls. The also tried to do it with Regan, but the Gipper had teflon armor.

My point is this, I’m sure many of us have noticed how every local shooting is making national news. Watch for TV and the movies to start to paint anyone with a guns as a “dangerous person”. Watch for movies about those in the firearms industry being evil or corrupt. Also look for pro-guns organizations like the NRA being scripted as having a secret agenda to sell guns and make huge profits. (all bs)

They’re coming for our guns, but they’ll do it thru lies and propaganda. Just like the Homosexual life style has been sold as normal by shows like Will and Grace, Glee, and Modern Family, the anti-gun scripts are being written right now.

I both like your comment and agree with it. My husband is a (sane) Viet Nam vet and we even have the sticker on our pick-up. I’ve noticed that every Nam vet interviewed is a stoned, crack head, motorcycle rider dressed as a superannuated Easy Rider hippie freak show. Nam was a disgrace and, worse than that, a homicidal disgrace. I lost several friends who were just kids and lost their lives for no valid reason. Am sure the parents of today’s war dead feel the same way.

God bless Vicky, and blessings to your DH, from one Nam Vet to another…
I got spit on in San Fran airport, decked the guy…
Cops saw the whole thing, told me to go get on my airplane and they “would take care of this guy”…

I can give you a perfect example of this. If you get a chance,search up on the internet a program called “Flashpoint”. It’s set in Toronto, and I’m not sure if it aired in the US or not.

The absolute horror and fear at the very sight of a gun on the program has convinced many Canadians that guns, all on their own, are terrifying. The show is about an urban strategic response team,so of course the “good guys” are wearing loads of body armor and are armed to the teeth.

It’s absolutely psychological programming and I think we’ll be seeing a lot of similar programming on American TV as they try to win the war against guns through propaganda.

@Daisy….I wonder what is happening in the Toronto area?? Another 4 young people shot today just in the outskirts of the City…..that now makes a total of 9 (I think) since Jan 1st…..that is 9 too many!! take care, CC

its called young people are getting pissed to the point that they are resorting to extreme violence again. Stephen Harper has not come clean with Canadians about the state of the economy and country. The problems are basically as severe as America with the exception of the well funded spy agency (CIA vs CSIS) Expect things to get more volatile this spring, over much of Canada.

When I grew up we had no cash other than a dime here and there. It was silver so we raised a couple of hogs, kept a flock of chickens and a Jersey milch cow. Those things, with a garden, fruit and walnut trees and it was a good life. The woods were full of squirrels, rabbits and the creek full of fish with ducks plentiful.

I still do that stuff; my M1 Garand and a roll of silver dimes alongside.

I was going to lean out the window and yell ‘I’m as mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore!’ but the window tax, yelling fee and profanity license cost too much. So, I’ll just sit here and sulk… While I reload.

Do y’all get the feeling we’ve been on the teeter-totter with the fat kid and he just jumped off?

I’m not a prophet, but I play one on the internet…so, here goes:
I never put much stock in dreams or visions (except for that time I almost won the powerball, only missed it by six numbers!). **Now here’s where it gets serious- for the past three nights, I’ve had the most bizzare dreams. Let’s skip the long boring parts (and the part about the underwear malfunction) and go straight to what I saw in the dreams.
The future of our nation is one of misery and suffering. A few will be okay, but most won’t. They will first see their fellow citizens scared and scrounging for work or money. Then they’ll see them scrounging for food. But after that, it gets much worse. Sadly, the majority will NOT be alert to anything til that happens. Before then, we who are even partly awake, will be a small minority. Our neighbors, friends, and relatives will be against us.
Remember that- they will be AGAINST us. They have bought the lies and propaganda that we are the enemy. They’ll rat on us, or cheer as we are led away in chains. And they’ll honestly think we really were bad. Or that we just need to be ‘re-educated.’ I saw this in the dream, honestly. They won’t understand anything about reality until they themselves are scared and hungry.
The media will NEVER report the truth. Even if Elvis himself were to land in the mothership on the set of the evening news, it would be falsely reported, lied about, or ignored. Nothing we hear from them is trustworthy. Remember that, too.
Now, it gets worse. In the dream, I saw a city, representing many cities in America. There was fire and smoke from all of the tall buildings. Bodies littered the ground. Pock-marked, shell shot walls and smaller buildings were all around. A true war zone aftermath. There was no chaos, the fighters were all dead or gone away to fight elsewhere.
I saw the scene, not in fear or disgust, but just an objective view, much like a camera lens panning a scene. I wasn’t afraid, only sad at what I saw. Then the scene switched back, to a time shortly before the cities were in flames.
It was a group of people. They were the ones who KNEW. Preppers, awake to one degree or another, just the ordinary folks who aren’t sheeple. They/we were under a few shady trees, cooking food over an outdoor grill. It seemed at first to be a fairly big group, maybe 50 or so. Then the view in the dream began to spread out, again like a camera panning the scene. Next to us were hundreds and hundreds of other people, All dressed alike.
They wore nice, new, clean blue shirts. Not uniforms. Purely civillian clothes. It looked like they were going out to the honky tonk on a Friday night. Just nice clean clothes, but all exactly alike. They weren’t shouting or threatening or anything like that. They simply wanted to show us that for every one of us, there was dozens, maybe hundreds, of them!
Then the dream switched back to the destruction of the cities, where’ it had been before. And I noticed something that hadn’t been there the first time. Almost all of the bodies, that lay seemingly everywhere, were dressed exactly like the larger group from the previous scene. Even through the blood and dirt, it was obvious- these were the same people from the shade tree cookout scene. I pondered in my heart what that meant.
Aside from the natural correlation that those who are least prepared will be most vulnerable, I wondered what this all meant. Is there more to it? Is the destruction in the dream merely to drive home a point? Or does it truly foreshadow America’s future? I have no answers for these questions. Only a strong desire to re-read my Bible, re-stock the pantry, and re-load a few more rounds. And to go hug my grandkids….

Had almost the same dream 3 months ago. Was driving north out of Denver and the interstate was full of half dead and dying people. All wanting to make it to the farms and ranches to get food from those who saw this coming. Many that looked like they had walked along way. Children being pulled in wagons, pushed in shopping carts. Death and it’s stink was all around. Three nights in a row I had this dream and the wife woke up each night and told me she was watching my hands as I reloaded over and over again. This has pushed my preping into full auto. I have been at it since 1983 , but now every spare minute and cent goes to survive the coming SHTF.

But seriously, thanks for sharing that smokin, when something that serious comes from you, I take it seriously.

“And your young men shall have visions, and your old men shall have dreams.” Or words to that effect?

That is the biggest reason why I like living in the boonies, I was put here, by God I think. My bug out camp is 100 yds behind my house, in the deepest thickets.

I believe there is a message in all dreams, and there has been a virtual explosion of reported dreams and visions. Weird dreams, that people haven’t remembered having before, there is a ‘societal’ message of collective consciousness here.

You may know about my Vision/Dream, it was long on weird, but not acceptable by the MSM preacher community, or other religious types because it was the answer to MY question; why is it all broken? and they won’t like the answer.

Lots of people have been having vivid or disturbing or instructive dreams (or at least talking about them!) over the last 4-6 weeks. Even people who don’t usually remember or give credence to such, are compelled to speak out … I’m thinking we’re well into “fair warning”.

Well, Oak my friend, I could say you had a “sour pickle” dream or watched too many “zombie” movies, but then I’d just be speculating.

I’m no Perry Mason, but I feel as though i know you better than that from all your postings. When you have a dream that surreal and making you want to go to the Bible/Hug your grandkids/re-load & re-up, then I believe it is more of a direct sign from above, or at least from a guardian angel.

If in doubt, just ask the Father.

In 2001 I was having some personal wranglings. I had never “fasted” before but a friend of mine had; and I read up on it. When I discovered that a 24 hour fast will work as well. i said I’m going for it. When doing a spiritual fast, rather than just a physical cleansing fast, it is important to know what you are going to ask for or what you want an answer to/for. Maybe you just want a closer relationship. ???…

I fasted for 24 and then prayed for God to show me what or if I had a purpose here, other than fertilizing the eggs for two beautiful children; and pissing a lot of people off.

Oh my Lord, Sweet Jesus in Heaven! I didn’t expect the answer to come that very night. I have only told a few people and it is too personal, and unbelieveable for most people here, so I’ll just say this. It was the most vivid and surreal dream/out-of-body experience I have ever had. There is no doubt about who or where it came from. When I came to/awakened, i remembered every last little detail, and was so weak I couldn’t move from my sweat soaked bed for 15 minutes. It has changed my life forever.

If you want truth and answers, put forth an action of “obedience” to God as a fast/seed offering/ helping a stanger/ etc. and ask him. With faith you will get an answer if it is His will. But remember: everything happens with His will and on His timeframe.

Pale Rider, if what that USGS guy told you is true, I’ll be in deep do-do being only an hour’s drive from the fault itself AND only 5 miles east of Ol’ Man River. I’ve been saying lately it looks like springtime could be party time, then this article comes along. Ive already speeded up my prepping as fast as i could and still doing so. I’m debt-free so I can get more supplies at one time than I normally would’ve been able to otherwise. VRF, that was a good one you came up with. Sounds almost as good as Okie. braveheart

My advice braveheart, keep a full tank of gas in the pu truck/suv/van if you got one and keep a b/o bag handy along with as much food & water preps as you can keep nearby, just in case. You may need to evacuate the river bottom, like “FAST”.

I’ll keep you and yours in my prayers, for divine help when you need it.

The circumstances of the world are continually changing, and the opinions of men change also; and as government is for the living, and not for the dead, it is the living only that has any right in it. That which may be thought right and found convenient in one age, may be thought wrong and found inconvenient in another. In such cases, who is to decide, the living, or the dead?

There is not enough Bondo in the world to fix the damage that will be caused by the Bondpocalypse. The whole financial system will be plunged into chaos and the american people will be dumbfounded, and totally clueless as to what just happened. How soon? “Ancient Chinese secret”…

We’re also at a time when the dollar could collapse at any time. The Fed is creating $80 billion out of thin air every month. It’s only a matter of time before panic selling of the dollar begins and the value of the dollar crashes. I expect a dollar collapse to begin after the fiscal cliff talks fail to produce any real spending cuts. Once OPEC stops accepting dollars, America will become a third world country virtually over night.

As long as OPEC can buy stuff with dollars, they will take dollars. They and the rest of the world will stop taking dollars when the value of a different currency has more buying power than the dollar. For example Opec sales a barrel of oil for $100 or 625 yuan. If Opec can buy more of what it wants with 625 yuan than 100 dollars then why would they want the dollars? What causes the change in perception of value is not what you get for the sale but what you can buy with the money in hand. This is driver to produce the same thing cheaper or to develop unique shit that no one else has but wants. We are like an old neighborhood store that cannot compete any more but still has some local customers that buy a few items out of convenience and some loyalty but less and less over time until the store owner cannot pay his bills or dies.

MY SOLUTION.
Restart detroit.
Ban all imports
Torpedo all cargo container ships.
Get real with China….fuck ’em.
Round up all the ceo and board members who voted to ship factories overseas…mandatory one year in fema camps.

Zero tax and tax paperwork on all new business for the first five years of life.

We couldn’t afford union wage based prices, Detroit is dead, prices would skyrocket, automation has eliminated a huge portion of the semiskilled auto manufacturing. We are running on reputation only, and the reputation is wearing thin. We are like it or not a nation of importers, we need a overhaul of the tax system, to keep us competetive with world markets, and we need reciprocity in trade regulations. Close your market to our products, and we will deny access to your product in our market. Impose a import tax to protect domestic production and we will. Apply same percntage to your omports to our markets

For years, folks like you have been screaming for reduced government spending. Now, when spending cuts look like they will actually happen, you people are citing suggestions that these cuts will harm the economy. Are you people really this stupid or do you work at it? Anyone with half a brain would know that spending cuts in any form, be it government or consumer, will have negative consequences. If these cuts negatively affect the economy, and I believe they will, just remember, you asked for it. Be careful what you wish for, you jus might get it.

JoeinNC;
Your point has (some) merit.
But what the screaming for reduced government spending
was mostly aimed at was the costly, fruitless and never
ending adventurism of the USA outside its borders. This
was money lost to the people and infrastructure of our
country.
Now the gov’t is going to impose austerity measures on
an already crippled citizenry (you and I) without any
abatement in their overseas follies, while hanging blame
directly on our shoulders.

You have written an intelligent post Joe, and as a fellow
American, I can’t help but believe you feel as I do.

For what its worth they are not cutting anything in real baseline growth/spending…only cutting the actual increase in spending,they will still spend more in 2013 than last year so the idea that there gonna be real cuts is smoke and mirrors IE a lie,typical…the moneys still there…besides its peanuts if they did actually cut it out of real spending…if they(obama) lays people off its just a stunt to make his opponents look bad but itll be him doing the deed….besides sequestation was barrys idea a year ago and he was for it now hes against it? Just trying to stir up the pot…its what marxists do!I call BS!

If they would SERIOUSLY make cuts they could cut trillions in waste,fraud , overlaping programs and no one would lose jobs. This country could still prosper without the government interference and coporate input.Its not part of the agenda. They want this country to fail!

We have been living a charade for decades and post Free Trade / US Industrial evisceration it has reached a critical point. Remove the borrowing / stimulus and live on just our wealth and productivity and the standard of living will plummet. Doing rough math a drop of 50% is not unlikely.

They’re kicking the can down the road having no other choice. All of this needed to be addressed effectively in the 1970s.

The cuts need to start with the congress and senate salaries. Cut in half, with no “fringe” benefits.

Next, cut off all foreign aid immediately to UN and Islamic countries.

NO more loans to bs “green companies”. period.

BTW, the US taxpayer still owns about 75% of GM.
I want my repayment in the form of a Metallic-Steel-Grey, Corvette with optional removable hardtop, and all the bells and whistles. So I can drive the damn thing around before i get too old to enjoy.

Bank Of America and Compass Bank managers (probably all other U.S. banks too) have been instructing their employees in the last few weeks on how to respond to customer demands in the event of a collapse of the U.S. economy -specifically telling the employees that only agents from the Department Of Homeland Security will have authority to decide what belongings customers
may have from their safe deposit boxes – and that precious metals and other valuables will not be released to U.S. citizens. The bank employees have
been strictly prohibited from revealing the banks’ new “guidelines” to anyone. (however, employees have been talking to friends and family)

Didn’t see your question until after I had posted. In my case, it’s first-hand information, if you consider that to be the employee telling me directly, but time frame is unclear. My aunt said she thought by 2014-15, although I know that’s vague. She said she hopes it never happens, but everyone is worried about a collapse of the dollar although they’re never supposed to say so. I assume she is talking about the fiscal cliff, or sequester, or whatever it will be called tomorrow. We talked about it during a conversation about another matter, and I think she was uncomfortable, although trying to protect us. When the rest of the group came into the room, we quit talking about it. I have as many questions as you. I don’t think a mere employee knows much real information, just enough to be uneasy. This was a general warning to empty my safe deposit box, although we had no money or gold in it, unfortunately. I kept vital, although financially worthless, documents as safekeeping as well as my mother’s wedding ring, a thin and worn gold band. Think 1930s and don’t trust the banks.

So true, from both a friend and a family member. We gave up our safe deposit box several years ago, and keep just enough money in checking to pay the house note and utilities. They can be paid in a ten-day window, then we cash the next check and put it away. Lately, we’ve been paying triple house payments, so that requires the risk of depositing both paychecks, but I don’t want to go through the hassle of paying a house note with cash. Can you imagine the questions????

I’m no Perry Mason, but according to the signs I’ve been seeing and adding up; Your grandchildren will be just fine, cause The King of Kings & Lord of Lords will be running things and the Odramas/Pelosis/Feign-stiens, etc etc etc of the world will be in a major holding cell. Not the kind you can buy your way out of either.

Since when does the federal goverment pay cities or your local police and fire department salaries????? Never!!!! People need to wake up, going over the cliff is better than anything they can come up with.

Oh for crying out loud! Everything’s just fine. Don’t worry. Be happy!

Look how easy it is to get along and provide for yourself in a disaster. Plant a garden or make a path to your neighbors in the dead of night. Buy a big gun to protect you when you have to raid your neighbors garden. Steal all your neighborhood’s water hoses now so you can cut them up for siphon hoses and use them for barter during hard times. And of course there is the ever popular sitting on your ass and waiting for someone else to take care of you.

Well I could go on but you get the idea. Life is easy it’s the living of it that can get a little dicey. The secret? Don’t worry, be happy! God, your neighbor or your Government will always be there to bail your lazy ass out.

the last 3 years this same headline has been tossed about. As so many are trying to make a name for themselves and feed their ego’s, it gets old and shows you they know little other than convenient ‘stats’ that so far have been wrong more than right. Of course we are in serious trouble, it only takes someone awake to see it. problem is, the more one cries wolf, the less credible they become. the wolf has already pillaged the hen house, and no one cared. it is already “over”, just no one has been told or they live in denial…but to keep beating the same collapse drum is old and tiring and does nothing but feed peoples fear and make them buy things these guys are selling. Everything is a business model, and so is fear mongering and tales told from those whose motive is to get your money.

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